three-ring circus
Americannoun
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a circus having three adjacent rings in which performances take place simultaneously.
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something spectacular, tumultuous, entertaining, or full of confused action.
Our family reunions are always three-ring circuses.
noun
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a circus with three rings in which separate performances are carried on simultaneously
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a situation of confusion, characterized by a bewildering variety of events or activities
Etymology
Origin of three-ring circus
An Americanism dating back to 1880–85
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The household in the 1970s was routinely described as a three-ring circus filled with rowdy kids, lost pets and haggard servants who often quit in frustration, saying Ethel was difficult to work for.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2024
“They just watch the three-ring circus play out.”
From New York Times ● Jul. 17, 2023
But by Tuesday the fever had broken — at least enough so that Rihanna's Super Bowl halftime show could take up residence, center stage, in the three-ring circus of disharmony that captures most people's attention.
From Salon ● Feb. 16, 2023
“The Greatest Show on Earth” is making a comeback featuring extraordinary humans and no animal acts five years after shutting down its three-ring circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey announced Wednesday.
From Washington Post ● May 18, 2022
In the distance, the great white tent of a three-ring circus appeared on a small island.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
